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Kingdom of Erayis
The Kingdom of Erayis is a nation comprising of the western portion of the Highlands. Its capital is Galenave, and its current king, Maendon Carlisle, whose dynasty has ruled for three hundred years. A rough land, it is home to a proud, hardy people, known for their strict adherance to tradition. History As any highlander clan chief will tell you, their people has inhabited the Highlands of Erayis and Euritia since before men knew to write and speak. Until 415 (HE), they were by a collection of petty kingdoms, with clans generally being beholden to noone save their chief. This state of affairs ended in that year, when Erayell 'Goat's-eye' united the highlands, east and west, and his descendants of the line of Erayan ruled the entirety of the Kingdom of the Highlands. A proud and warlike house, the Erayans greatly expanded their domain to the north, east, and south, yet they were always hampered by the fractuous earls beneath them, who did as they liked, and not as the king bid. This was to be the doom of House Erayan, and the Kingdom of the Highlands; In 157, King Dierk 'The Conqueror' Thralon, responding to a Highlander invasion of the northern kingdoms, demanded that the current king, Barun ‘The Highlander’ Erayan, cease his aggression and offer reparations to the northmen. King Barun was greatly offended by the insolence of his southern peer, and called his vassals to arms, marching south to meet Dierk in battle. Unfortunately for him and his line, only half his vassals marched to join him, and those that did bickered and feuded amongst themselves. The Conqueror exploited this at the Battle of Amden, where he cleverly baited the powerful Earl of Cavan into breaking formation and charging into a trap, intent on surpassing his peers in glory. Barun was forced to sound a charge in order to avoid the decimation of a third of his army. The resultant was a complete and utter defeat, with the King and all his heirs perishing under the southern swords. After Amden, the highlands were quickly divided and assimilated into the rest of the Conqueror's lands, with his younger brother, Torvic Thralon, being placed on the throne in the east, in what would later become Euritia, and his general Othmar Tahren in the west. It was in this time that the name Erayis began coming into the use, as one would refer to the Kingdom as the "lands of Erayan", after its defunct ruler. The Tahren line was never popular amongst the people, refusing to adopt local customs, and holding the highlander clans in disdain. Under their rule, the traditional rights of the earls were greatly supressed, and they installed Terijan dukes above them. They were always outsiders in the Highlands, and had constant difficulties keeping their thrones. Despite this, they managed to retain their kingship for 455 years, in large part thanks to the military support of their southern kin, the High Kings of Orlanids. Unfortunately for them, the Imperial Kingdom began to decline beginning in the 6th age. The Tahren line declined along with them, and they were eventually overthrown in a rebellion lead by their long-time chancellors, the House of Carlisle. The remaining Tahrens fled to the south, and the Erayans declared the Carlisles as their new kings. Culture Rigid, but never faltering—the people of Erayis embody the culture of their ancestors unlike those in the neighboring Euritia thus continuing a cultural heritage that has persevered over the ages. In history the people of Erayis have known to defy foreign kings, and customs that are not their own out of a fear of their culture dying out since most of their religious customs have been forgotten since they have stopped being practice for about five centuries. Perhaps this is why the people of the region are somewhat xenophobic—latching on to a fear of change and lost pride. The military of the region is mostly devised between infantry and ram-based cavalry—archers are well regarded given altitude and hunting culture, but are not as esteemed as those in Reinoa or Veronia. With that said, the region has a staunch history for infantry combat; ranging from swordsmen skilled in the greatsword to skilled pikemen to counteract southern and northern cavalry that they are so accustomed to dealing with. Geography and Economy The lands of Erayis are plentiful with timber as well as large depths of mountains, hills, and valleys. Neighboring the Northlands the weather is also a bit colder than those south of the river that bridges them between the Stormbroken and part of the Kingdom of Reinoa. Within these mountains including the mountain range known as The Mythril Mountains, there exists superfluous minerals that include steady amounts of mythrite and even gold—though the latter does not equal to even half of the yield of the Expanse & Verge. The vast rolling hills are also well-known for massive capacities of animal herding (ranging from sheep, ram, cattle, and fowl), hunting (deer, bear, duck, and wolf), and general farming; though the winter seasons are harsher than that in the south of Orlandis so harvest seasons are much more regarded. Despite these boons, the kingdom a poor one, with most of its people living as simple sheep-herders. Some regions are more prosperous than others - particularily the fertile banks of Loch Eriboll, and the northern towns, rich from the mythrilite trade - but as a general rule, the highlanders are proud and poor.